ACTION ALERT: Two Bills that Support Access to Our Public Lands Need Your SupportPlease read this email and consider submitting
supporting comments on both bills. Please take action and pass this on to other citizens and organizations that understand the importance of maintaining access to
Our Public Lands.
Our Legislature has started a new commenting capability on the bill website; you can go there by selecting the green button to the right of the bill number, the button is titled “Comment on this bill”.
Select the “Support” radio button and write the reason you support the bill. They have limited your comment to 1,000 characters, so you will need to be brief. To give you an idea, the last paragraph of this message has 589 characters. To submit a comment, you will need to register and set up a password; it is very easy to do. Just follow the instructions after selecting the “Submit Comment” button. Once you have done this, you can easily comment on future proposed legislation as well.
You can also write your Representatives and Senators directly through their websites:
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/ SB5906 had a public hearing this morning with the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Although both bills were introduced late, we should express our support for them to ensure they remain active.
SB 5906 – Maintaining access to state recreational lands managed by the department of natural resources.Public Comment on Bill:
https://washingtonleg.granicusideas.com/widget/agenda_items/SB%205906Bill website:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2013&bill=5906#documentsOriginal bill text:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5906.pdfSB 5907 – Ensuring no net loss of public access to state recreational lands.Public Comment on Bill:
https://washingtonleg.granicusideas.com/widget/agenda_items/SB%205907Bill website:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5907&year=2013Original bill text:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5907.pdfOutdoor enthusiasts in Washington State have no doubt noticed the closure of roads that once led to their favorite sites to hunt, fish, hike, bicycle, horseback ride, ride ORVs, and view wildlife to name a few. These activities generate economic benefits for the communities surrounding those public lands in addition to immeasurable pleasure and life-time memories.
Road closures unfortunately appear to include a destructive process that may include dumping very large boulders along the length of the road path and cutting down small trees near the road and laying them across the road path. Destruction of the original road path may be so excessive that walking on the path may be nearly impossible or very dangerous. In light of such total destruction, it appears the objective goes far beyond just keeping motorized vehicles out of an area; the level of destruction appears to be intended to keep all people out of the area where the roads once led.
